Titans vs. Bengals: Breaking Down Tennessee's Game Plan

We've seen both ends of the spectrum in just two games for the Tennessee Titans, and it leaves them at 1-1 heading into their toughest game to date.

The Titans will face a 2-0 Cincinnati Bengals team that looks to be a legitimate contender in the AFC. They're balanced on both offense and defense. There's no reason to think that this complete team can't make a run in the playoffs.

To address the Bengals defense first, the Titans will have to play much better than they did in their loss to the Dallas Cowboys if they want to reach double digits on the scoreboard. That's how much respect I have for this defense. The Bengals held the high-octane Atlanta Falcons offense to just 10 points in Week 2.

Jake Locker had arguably the worst half of football in his NFL career against the Cowboys, and that can't repeat itself if the Titans are going to avoid two straight losses. 

To get Locker in a comfort zone early on, it starts with the Titans controlling the ground game. Shonn Greene needs to get the ball early and often to set the tempo and try to chip away at this stout defense.

Locker can't be the reason the Titans lose this game. If that ends up being one of the main reasons for a loss, then the negative criticism and questions of his benching will continue. Simply coming out and throwing the ball relentlessly could lead to the three-and-outs piling up in the first half. If that gets out of hand, then it could be over by halftime.

Locker's psyche can't afford another abysmal first half against a much better defense that will make him pay for poor decision-making.

We all knew how high the ceiling could be for the Titans passing offense thanks to the likes of an impressive preseason from Justin Hunter. He could still end up having a great year, but he's gotten off to an unimpressive start. 

Chemistry has been a lingering issue between Locker and Hunter, per John Glennon of The Tennessean: 

"

ICYMI: #Titans WR Justin Hunter says he and Jake Locker are still working on their chemistry: http://t.co/X6Q6ztR0V5

— John Glennon (@glennonsports) September 19, 2014 "

This game will be controlled mainly on the ground by both teams, according to Matty Simo of Sporting News. 

The Bengals have a very formidable rushing duo of Giovani Bernard and rookie Jeremy Hill. Bernard can hurt you both on the ground and by catching passes out of the backfield. As for Hill, he's more effective between the tackles.

It will make for a stiff challenge for a Titans rush defense that couldn't do anything to stop DeMarco Murray the previous week. Maybe they can get it together and dramatically shift the outlook of this game.

It's no secret that it's been virtually impossible to get pressure on Andy Dalton through two games this season. He's been sacked zero times and has no interceptions. This success starts with the Bengals' solid offensive line play, according to Bengals reporter Coley Harvey of ESPN.com.

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

This area might be the X-factor of how this game turns out. Something has to give, because the Titans have enjoyed some early success at putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks with eight sacks. It might be their saving grace if they're going to pull off a big upset.

Player	Sacks	Tackles
Jurrell Casey	2.0	4
Wesley Woodyard	1.0	10
Bernard Pollard	1.0	16
Karl Klug	1.0	3
Ropati Pitoitua	1.0	6
Sammie Hill	1.0	4
Coty Sensabaugh	1.0	5

Source: ESPN.com

If the Titans defensive line can't get to Dalton for the sacks, then batting down balls harmlessly to the turf could be the key. Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com highlighted this: 

"

Against Dalton, Titans seek batted balls: NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Andy Dalton gets rid of the ball in a hu... http://t.co/oc5x5xbC62 #Titans

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) September 18, 2014 "

Jurrell Casey got to Tony Romo in Week 2, and he'll need to have another big impact in this game to keep Dalton from getting too comfortable and picking the Titans secondary apart. 

It's still unclear if A.J. Green will play. He's currently dealing with a toe injury, but it's looking like he will play against the Titans, per Pro Football Talk: 

"

A.J. Green says he's on track to play http://t.co/GRatfeutDw

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 19, 2014 "

That is significant due to how unproven the Titans secondary is at the moment. They played well against a thin Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver corps without Dwayne Bowe in Week 1, but they struggled against the Cowboys last week.

If somehow the Titans can shut down the Bengals rushing attack like they did against Jamaal Charles, then this game could come down to the last possession and finish with a really low score.

The Bengals offense can't be overlooked in this game. While I expect it to be relatively low scoring, there's still the potential for this new Titans defense to really suffer some growing pains.

I'm really high on the Bengals making some noise in the postseason, and their ability to control time of possession will ultimately lead to a comfortable win. The Bengals are just in a much better place right now than the Titans.

This prediction is more a testament to how good I believe the Bengals are at the moment, not so much about the Titans.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Titans 13